HFES Advocates for Federal Research Funding in FY 2023 Outside Witness Testimony

By Lewis-Burke Associates LLC– July 5, 2022

As part of its annual appropriations advocacy, HFES submitted written testimony to multiple Subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee, calling for robust investment in science and technology programs at federal agencies to strengthen HF/E expertise and processes in critical sectors.  Congressional decision makers use testimony from HFES and other stakeholders to inform deliberations on funding levels and priorities for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Appropriations process.  HFES’s FY 2023 priorities include:

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

HFES submitted written testimony to both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-ED) calling for Congress to provide robust funding for AHRQ, NIOSH, and the ARPA-H.

Specifically, HFES requested the Subcommittee provide $500 million to AHRQ in FY 2023.  HFES’s testimony discusses the importance of AHRQ as the federal vehicle for studying and improving the United States healthcare system. HFES further advocated for increased funding for AHRQ to account for the rebuilding needed from years of budget cuts to the agency and the negative effects on the healthcare system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In addition, HFES’s testimony called for no less than $375.3 million for NIOSH, including $34 million to support its Education and Research Centers (ERCs) in order to sustain the academic degree programs and research opportunities needed to train the next generation workforce.

HFES further supported additional funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).  The outside witness testimony advocates for $49 billion for the National Institute of Health (NIH) and additional supplemental funding to expand ARPA-H.  ARPA-H focuses on high-risk, high-reward research that is specifically targeted to biomedical and health breakthroughs.  This research will advance knowledge about how to prevent, treat, and cure diseases that affect many Americans.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

HFES also submitted testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) urging Congress to provide at least $11 billion in funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in FY 2023.  The testimony also advocated for expanding NSF efforts to broaden participation in science for underrepresented groups, to ensure a more diverse and equitable workforce.  HFES also highlighted the positive impact NSF-funded research will have on the U.S. economy, national security, and the health and well-being of Americans. It further called on NSF to continue funding HF/E relevant research critical to ensuring the successful adoption and integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).  NSF funds human factors research to improve the connection between science, engineering, and technology.  This intersects with HFES priorities in understanding how humans and computers interact in order to maintain an environment that empowers users and increased funding from NSF would allow the human factors community to continue their transformative research.

The Department of Defense

HFES submitted testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Defense and Related Agencies, requesting robust funding for the Department of Defense’s (DOD) research, development, test, and evaluations accounts.  The testimony also requested the Subcommittee direct DOD to identify opportunities across the services to transition human performance research to defense RDT&E activities and acquisition programs.  The testimony further urged Congress to require DOD technology development programs utilize the American National Standards Institute recently approved ANSI/HFES 400-202, and the associated Human Readiness Levels (HRLs).  Moreover, the testimony suggests that the HRLs should be reported for each major component of new military systems and should be used to identify deficiencies and areas where additional attention to the human-system integration is warranted.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

HFES also submitted written testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (T-HUD), urging the Subcommittees provide robust funding for HF/E research at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in FY 2023.  Specifically, HFES advocated for strong funding for the FAA’s Research, Engineering, and Development (RE/D) program, including support for human factors research in air traffic control, flight deck maintenance, and other areas. Further, HFES is a strong supporter of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, which significantly reforms the FAA’s safety and oversight policies, procedures, and requirements to better account for Human Factors issues and HFES recommends that Congress fully fund the HF/E related provisions in the bill.

Additionally, the testimony supports robust investment in DOT’s research on autonomous and intelligent transportation technologies.  Specifically, HFES supports funding for and the consideration of HF/E research in NHTSA’s Autonomous Vehicles Pilot program and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Intelligent Transportation Systems program (ITS), which are invaluable to the safe deployment of next generation transportation technologies.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to release its FY 2023 spending bills and then agreement will need to be reached before the final FY 2023 appropriations bills are signed into law.  With this upcoming midterm election this fall, this process likely won’t end until next winter.  Lewis-Burke will continue to inform HFES as the legislation develops.

Sources and Additional Information:

• HFES’s FY 2023 written testimony to the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies for AHRQ and NIOSH can be found here.
• HFES’s FY 2023 written testimony to the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies in support of NSF funding can be found here.
• HFES’s FY 2023 written testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Defense can be found here.
• HFES’s FY 2023 written testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies can be found here.